what is PISCO? The Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans is a long- term program of scientific research and training dedicated to advancing the understanding of the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem along the U.S. west coast. PISCO is pioneering an integrated approach to studying the nearshore portion of this complex, rich, and economically important environment. PISCO is distinguished by its interdisciplinary approach, large geographic extent, and decades-long time frame. PISCO conducts monitoring and experiments along more than 1,200 miles (2,000 kilometers) of coastline, as well as laboratory and theoretical studies. The research incorporates oceanography, ecology, chemistry, physiology, molecular biology, genetics, and mathematical modeling to gain novel insights into systems ranging from individual animals and plants to the whole ecosystem. PISCO’s findings apply to conservation and resource management issues. PISCO scientists participate in local, regional, national, and international initiatives for marine environmental planning. Through its university courses, PISCO helps to train the next generation of scientists in interdisciplinary approaches to marine research and policy. Established in 1999 with funding from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, PISCO is led by scientists from Oregon State University (OSU); Stanford University’s Hopkins Marine Station; University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC); and University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). As of 2005, core PISCO activities are funded by collaborative grants from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The core support and additional funding from diverse public and private sources make this unique partnership possible. PISCO View from the Wave Crest Coastal Connections Volume 6

Table of Contents elcome to the sixth edition of PISCO Coastal Connections, 1 View from the Wave Crest a publication of the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans Research W (PISCO). This publication highlights our scientific, 2 Patterns of Change education, and outreach programs as well as our Kelp forest ecology; kelp bass; fishing and sheephead; abalone. work with collaborative partners. 6 Oceanographic Frontiers Our interdisciplinary studies are conducted by established scientists, postdoc- Climate change; patchy toral fellows, graduate students, and research technicians. Database experts settlement of young; poleward develop innovative approaches for storing and sharing large data sets. Policy flows; low oxygen. coordinators help ensure that we accurately communicate science to inform 10 Ecological Linkages decision-making and management. Physiology of invading mussels; Because of our long-term and interconnected programs over a wide geo- gene chips; body temperatures graphic range, PISCO is well positioned to detect and understand changes and survival. in the ocean. This information is essential for conducting ecosystem-based management and tracking climate change. In this issue, 14 Interdisciplinary Training “Patterns of Change” reveals valuable information about Classes on science and policy; research for management; land species distributions, and sea. “Oceanographic Frontiers” describes impacts of unanticipated ocean changes, “Ecological Linkages” features research into how changing ocean 1 16 Sharing the Science temperatures affect species, Communications training; “Interdisciplinary Training” highlights PISCO’s unique educational PISCO in the news; Marine Life program, and Protection Act. “Sharing the Science” outlines our efforts to communicate findings to management agencies and the public. We greatly appreciate our dedicated staff, collaborators, and partners who make these accomplishments possible. We invite you to enjoy this issue of PISCO Coastal Connections.

Managing Editor: Kristen Milligan Coordinators: Satie Airamé, Liz Riley, and Amy Windrope Senior Editor & Writer: Peter H. Taylor Creative Director: Monica Pessino GIS Support: Will McClintock Line Drawings: Linda D. Nelson Cover photo: Recently metamorphosed purple sea urchin © 2007 Gerardo Amador. Cover photo insets, top to bottom: Steve Lonhart/ MBNMS, Jane Lubchenco, Elizabeth Hoaglund, Amy Wagner. Opposite page photos, left to right: Peter Taylor, Chad King/MBNMS, Sean Hoobler, Robert Schwemmer. PISCO Coastal Connections is a publication of the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO). Contents © 2007. For more information about PISCO or to join the mailing list for future publications, please contact the consortium at the addresses listed on the back cover. PISCO principal investigators (left to right): Steve Gaines (UCSB), George Somero (Stanford), Margaret McManus (UCSC/University of Hawaii), Bruce Menge (OSU), Mark Carr (UCSC), Mark Denny (Stanford), Jack Barth (OSU), Jane Lubchenco (OSU), Robert Warner (UCSB), and Steve Palumbi (Stanford). Not shown: Gretchen Hofmann (UCSB), Pete Raimondi (UCSC), and Libe Washburn (UCSB). Photo: Satie Airamé

PISCO Coastal Connections • Volume 6 patterns Patterns of Similarity AmongKelpForests Patterns ofSimilarity Dots ofthesamecolorindicatekelp forests with asimilarmixofinvertebrate species based onPISCOmonitoringandanalysis. More than60invertebrate speciesare monitored inkelp forests, suchassea urchins, whelks, crabs, anemones, and seastars. PISCOdiscovered OFchange similar patternsfor seaweed and fish species. Themixofspecies living inakelp forest varies with thegeological setting, exposure to storm waves, and species geographic ranges. Overview: Patterns of Change Untangling Kelp Forests for PISCO is the first comprehensive, Ecosystem-based Management long-term program to investigate ecological patterns of change in the ocean along the U.S. west coast. The program focuses on three important ISCO’s research in ecosystem components: kelp forests, rocky shores, and coastal currents. underwater forests of giant kelp is revealing previously unknown differences in Patterns of species’ abundance and the ecology and biodiversity of sites along the diversity vary along the coast on P scales of feet to hundreds of miles. west coast. The findings will enable more effective Patterns also change over time—from ecosystem-based management of kelp forests, which year to year and decade to decade. are among the most productive ecosystems on earth, Documenting these patterns is hosting tremendous biodiversity. fundamental for understanding the nature of marine ecosystems. It In 1999, PISCO began a long-term program to study the biodiversity and ecol- is essential for ecosystem-based ogy of the ocean along the west coast from southern California to Oregon. management and policy. One focus has been kelp forests because of their ecological importance and vulnerability to human impacts. In annual surveys, scuba divers identify and This section highlights some of PISCO’s count the fishes, invertebrates, and seaweeds living in dozens of kelp forests research documenting patterns of along more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) of the coast of southern and cen- change. Processes that cause the tral California. ecological patterns are featured in the subsequent two sections. Because the region encompasses a spectrum of oceanographic, geological, and ecological conditions, the multi-year effort is paying off with new insights into the factors that underlie changes in the biodiversity and productivity of kelp forests. Analyzing huge quantities of data from the monitoring program, PISCO scientists have classified kelp forests along the coast according to the as- sortment of fish, algae, and invertebrate species that tend to live there. 3 Web-based Maps of PISCO Data They have found that kelp forests on distinct segments of the coast differ be- PISCO’s data on kelp forests are online cause of variations in strength of storm waves, geological setting, and species’ for the world to see—and map and graph. geographic ranges (see figure, opposite page). Despite year-to-year fluctua- New interactive maps on the PISCO Web tions at each site, the differences among coastal segments are persistent. site enable users to explore several years Kelp forests are vulnerable to human impacts including commercial and rec- of data on fishes, invertebrates, and algae. reational fisheries, pollution, and harvest of the kelps. By showing the ways Web visitors can select a species and see that kelp forests differ from place to place, PISCO’s research makes it possible to PISCO’s monitoring data on the species’ develop strategies, such as marine protected areas, to maintain the richness of abundance, size, and geographic distribu- these important ecosystems. tion at sites along California’s southern PISCO researchers are Mark Carr (UCSC), Jenn Caselle (UCSB), Dan Malone and central coast. Integrated with an (UCSC), Mark Readdie (UCSC), and Craig Syms (now at James Cook University, enhanced version of Google Maps, graphs Australia). Collaborators and partners are the National Marine Sanctuary Pro- can display changes in the number of fish, gram, National Park Service, and California Department of Fish and Game. for example, at rocky reefs along the coast. Lists of species generated for each place detail the animals and seaweeds observed in a given year. In addition, the Web site includes photographs, video, and descrip- tions of the research methods. The Web- based maps automatically display the most up-to-date information because they are linked directly to the PISCO database. Use the maps at www.piscoweb.org/data.

Opposite page photos: Steve Lonhart/MBNMS (2 left Growing tip of the giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera). Gopher rockfish (Sebastes carnatus). Photo: Steve Lonhart/ photos), Chad King/MBNMS (3 right photos) Photo: Steve Lonhart/MBNMS MBNMS

PISCO Coastal Connections • Volume 6 Genes Show How Ocean Currents Link Kelp Bass Using genetics, oceanography, and ecological monitoring, PISCO/UCSB scientists studied how kelp bass populations at reefs in southern California are linked by the drifting of their young. Understanding the connections among reefs is invaluable for fisheries management. Former graduate student Kim Selkoe used instruments deployed by PISCO near Santa Cruz Island to monitor ocean currents and the settlement of young kelp bass. She found that when currents shifted from the predominant eastern flow to a northwestern flow, fewer young kelp bass arrived. This finding agrees with the prevailing assumption that kelp bass populations at San Miguel Island and Point Conception—to the northwest of Santa Cruz Island and near the edge of the species’ geographic range—are insignificant sources of young settling near Santa Cruz Island. However, genetic analyses showed that kelp bass from the northwest are different from and contribute to the genetic diversity of the Santa Cruz Island population. The research suggests that protecting the populations San Miguel Island and Point Conception could help safeguard the natural patterns of ge-

netic diversity for kelp bass and similar species in the area. Young fish swim near artificial reefs that PISCO uses to monitor fish population replenishment. PISCO/UCSB researchers are Kim Selkoe, Steve Gaines, Jenn Caselle, and Bob Photo: Michael Sheehy Warner. Kim Selkoe is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. Publication: Current shifts and kin aggregation explain genetic patchiness in fish recruits. 2006. Ecology 87:3082–3094.

Fish Data Give Managers New Insights 4 Research by UCSB biologists reveals that populations of California sheephead fish in southern California have shifted in female-to-male ratios, body sizes, and matu- ration ages during the last 30 years (see table below). The changes likely reflect increasing pressure from commercial and recreational fishing. As they age, sheep- head change from female to male. Commercial fishers tend to catch young fish, which are females, while recreational fishers target larger, male fish. PISCO and its partners provided the new data to resource managers, who will use the informa- tion to improve sheephead stock assessment and fisheries management. PISCO/UCSB scientists Jenn Caselle, Scott Hamilton, and Julie Standish and UCSB scientists Donna Schroeder and Milton Love conducted the research with funding from California Department of Fish and Game, United States Geological Survey, and PISCO. A California sheephead (Semicossyphus pulcher) near the Channel Islands. Photo: Robert Schwemmer Tortugas Catalina San Nicolas Site Island Island Island Intensity of Fishing Left: The table shows the relationship between fishing intensity and changes in Recreational Low High Low sheephead populations over a period of Commercial None Low High 30 years. At San Nicolas Island, where Changes over 30 years commercial fishing pressure was high, the age at first reproduction declined Age at First and the number of females in the popula- Reproduction = = tion increased. The high fishing pressure at Catalina Island (recreational) and San Age at Sex Change = Nicolas Island (commercial) caused sheep- head to transform from female to male at Sex Ratio (Females to Males) younger ages. Fishing also had a substantial impact on the size of the largest fish, which Size of Largest Fish declined at all sites.

Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans patterns of change 5 - - - - PISCO Coastal Connections • Volume 6 Connections • Volume Coastal PISCO At sites accessed easily or moderately easily easily moderately or easily accessed sites At

marine reserve. marine reserve. At a site that was difficult to access (bottom two graphs), large abalone were gone in two years. years. two in gone were abalone large graphs), two (bottom access to difficult was that site a At

de facto Sarah Worden.tidal NetworkPartners and(MARINe) collaborators and California are the DepartmentMulti-Agency of Rocky Fish and Inter Game. mine the impacts on abalone. They found that the number of abalone at sites mine the impacts on abalone. They found that the number of abalone at and fecun in one year, closest to access points had plummeted by fifty percent abalone survived (see few large ninety percent—because dity had dropped By 2006, abalone at even the least accessible parts of the shore above). figure abalone had been taken. by half, and virtually all of the large had decreased Some harvesters and said they believed that noticed the dramatic effects would be no abalone left. PISCO scientists calcu within a year or two there if the lated that it would take 20 years for the abalone population to recover, site had been closed after one year of harvesting. The ongoing study will for sustainable management practices. insight provide PISCO/UCSCRani researchers Gaddam, areDave Pete Lohse, Raimondi, Christy Karah Bell, MayaCox, Carolina George, DaCosta, Melissa Miner, and Stornetta Ranch, which occupies two and a half miles of coastline in northern Stornetta Ranch, which occupies two was virtually no public access to the shoreline, there California. Until recently, making it a U.S. Coastal Conservancy, Conservancy, In 2004, a consortium of The Nature the land purchased Fish and Wildlife, and State Wildlife Conservation Board and Game PISCO/UCSC and California Fish from for $7.7 million. Researchers that year and found conducted a survey of the Stornetta Ranch shoreline carried abalone. In addition, PISCO researchers red huge numbers of large program out biodiversity studies at the site as part of a long-term, large-scale California PISCO (http://cbsurveys.ucsc.edu/). by Soon afterward, administered Fish and Game opened the site to harvest of marine species. in 2005 and 2006 to deter PISCO/UCSC scientists and colleagues returned Reserves in Reverse to harvesting part of the coast is opened for even If a historically protected to research according abalone could take 20 years to recover, red one year, They conducted the study at by PISCO/UCSC scientists and collaborators. ) at Haliotis rufescens Photo: PISCO Coastal Biodiversity Photo: Survey Team Survey Researchers measuring red abalone ( red measuring Researchers California. Stornetta Ranch, Abundance of red abalone at three shoreline sites at Stornetta Ranch. Minimum legal size for harvesting abalone is 178 millimeters (red line). (red millimeters 178 is abalone harvesting for size legal Minimum Ranch. Stornetta at sites shoreline three at abalone red of Abundance harvesting. of year one after remained abalone large few graphs), four (top harvesters by Jet Stream Shift Alters Ecological Patterns

Anomalous (Spring 2005) Normal (Summer 2005)

Unusual wind patterns caused a two-month delay in the arrival of normal summer ocean conditions off Oregon in 2005. The jet stream in early summer (map, top left) was south of

young mussels settling per day its normal position (map, top right), causing weak winds, no upwelling, and warm waters. The delay affected marine life. Young mussels, for example, settled (graphs, left) in much lower numbers during May-July 2005 (yellow dots) than average (blue dots). Once normal ocean conditions returned in Sep-Oct, young mussels settled in high numbers. young mussels settling per day oceanographic frontiers Shifting Winds, Disrupted Food Web… Changing Climate?

Overview: Oceanographic Frontiers the winds that normally blow Within several miles of the coast, the n 2005, movements of ocean currents are south along the Oregon coast during summer extremely complex. The water travels arrived two months late. As a result, the cold, both vertically and horizontally, and deep, nutrient-rich water typically drawn to the ocean its path is affected by landforms and I surface by the winds in mid-May did not come until mid-July, the seafloor. In the past, these com- plexities have hindered the ability of according to research by PISCO scientists and colleagues. scientists to study coastal currents. Fish and other marine life suffered severely from lack of nutrients and food. Using sensors and new technology, Along the Oregon coast, the ocean surface averaged 2°C above normal, PISCO is working to understand the reaching as much as 6.4°C warmer in some places. Nutrients and phytoplank- complex patterns of water movement ton were unusually scarce. and productivity in the California PISCO scientists note that the delay is consistent with predictions based on Current Large Marine Ecosystem. We climate change models. In particular, an increased contrast between land and are learning how currents connect sea temperatures is expected to influence winds along the west coast. In turn, distant sites and developing the ca- the changing winds likely will affect the upwelling of deep, nutrient-rich water. pability to forecast water movement The delay in upwelling in 2005 had serious consequences for population near the coast. Our research is re- replenishment of mussels and barnacles. In June through August, the number vealing oceanographic processes that of young mussels was 83 percent lower than normal. Young barnacles were affect productivity and cause low-oxy- 66 percent below normal during May through July. PISCO’s oceanographic gen conditions. PISCO ecologists and data suggest that low food supply caused the dearth of young. Population oceanographers use the information replenishment rebounded at some sites later in the season (see figure, left). to understand how coastal currents 7 relate to patterns of abundance and By influencing winds along the Oregon coast, climate change could delay diversity of marine animals and plants. summer upwelling to cause low phytoplankton and population replenish- ment, or drive strong upwelling to cause excess phytoplankton that helps The articles in this section describe create low-oxygen dead zones (see story, page 9). Studying connections some of PISCO’s research into these among large-scale changes in wind patterns, oceanography, and ecology oceanographic frontiers. over a period of years, PISCO is revealing the long-term implications of climate change for the marine food web. Researchers are Jack Barth, Bruce Menge, Jane Lubchenco, Francis Chan, and Anthony Kirincich (PISCO/OSU); Libe Washburn (PISCO/UCSB); Margaret McManus (PISCO/UCSC/University of Hawaii); John M. Bane (University of North Carolina); Karina Nielsen (Sonoma State University); and Stephen Pierce (OSU). Funding was provided by PISCO and the National Science Foundation. Publication: Delayed upwelling alters nearshore coastal ocean ecosystems in the northern Califor- nia Current. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA (in review).

Far right: Changes in climate affect biological communities along the Oregon coast. Right: Servicing oceanographic moorings on the R/V Elakha. Photos: Jane Lubchenco

Opposite page, upper map: data courtesy of J. Bane (UNC), S. Pierce (OSU), and J. Barth (PISCO/OSU).

PISCO Coastal Connections • Volume 6 The figures above show an area along the central coast of Califor- Sea level (centimeters) nia, as represented in the model. Ocean circulation is modeled as Recently born fish (larvae) typical July conditions with strong upwelling. The sea-level color Paths of larvae over two days contours relate to flow direction (blue, low sea-level features support counterclockwise circulation, and yellow, high sea-level Area suitable for larvae to settle features help create clockwise circulation). Black dots represent low high recently born fish; white lines indicate their paths over the previ- ous two days. Brown bars along right edge are shallow waters near shore where young fish could settle to live as adults. Management Guidelines Account for Natural Variability Predicting Dispersal of Young Fish As science advisors for the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), PISCO When resource managers set limits for a fishery, they typically rely on pre- scientists Steve Gaines (UCSB), Mark Carr dicted numbers of young fish entering the population. However, collaborative (UCSC), and Steve Palumbi (Stanford) research at UCSB shows that accurate predictions of fish population replenish- helped provide recommendations on how ment may be nearly impossible due to the complex, unpredictable nature of 8 far apart to space marine protected areas currents that transport the newborn fish. (MPAs) along the coast (see story, page 17). The researchers created a model based on realistic ocean currents and fish Choosing the right distance is critical be- behavior to forecast the travels of drifting young fish and invertebrates along cause many fish and invertebrates drift away the west coast. A grant from the Biocomplexity in the Environment program of from their parents when they are born. the National Science Foundation supported the collaborative research. PISCO Small MPAs located too far apart could played a role in bringing together a broad range of experts on marine ecosys- leave species vulnerable because the drifting tem dynamics and supplying biological data. young would end up in unprotected waters. There are many unknowns about how far In the model, fish are born and released each day into the water at different young fish and invertebrates disperse, but points along the coast. The computer keeps track of where the young go in the scientists examined available evidence the complex three-dimensional motion of the water. After 20 days, the young and determined that young fish and inver- in the model can settle and become adults, if they have arrived in a suitable tebrates living in California’s coastal waters coastal habitat. If they do not settle within 40 days, they die. typically disperse 50 to 100 kilometers. A striking feature of the model is that the young settle in unpredictable pulses Based on this finding, the scientists advised along the coast. At certain times and places, many young settle; at others, that MPAs be located no more than 50 to young fish are scarce. The young are able to settle when currents carry 100 kilometers apart. This guideline accom- them toward the shore. But if currents flow offshore, the young are carried modates the limits of scientific knowledge, away from suitable habitat and are likely to perish before they can settle. The while providing insurance to sustain sea life. intermittent, patchy settlement of young has important implications for fishery management. For example, long-term monitoring of survival and growth of young fish may be needed to understand population trends in an area. Researchers are Dave Siegel, Satoshi Mitarai, Chris Costello, and Bruce Kendall (UCSB); Steve Gaines and Robert Warner (PISCO/UCSB); and Kraig Winters (Scripps Institution of Oceanography).

A young purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus). Photo: Gerardo Amador

Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans oceanographic frontiers oceanographic

Bigger, Deadlier Dead Zone In summer 2006, a dead zone of low-oxygen water formed along the central Oregon coast, killing crabs, fish, and other marine life. Although similar events occurred in 2002 through 2005, this dead zone was bigger, lower in oxygen, and longer lasting. PISCO scientists have linked the Oregon low-oxygen zone to abnormal wind patterns consistent with climate change predictions (see story, page 7). The dead zone is water with levels of dissolved oxygen too low to support life. Oceanographic sampling showed that the 2006 Oregon low-oxygen zone extended 70 miles along the ocean floor from Florence to Cascade Head— On the R/V Elakha, Hal Weeks of the Oregon Department more than four times bigger than in past years. It lasted four months in 2006, of Fish and Wildlife lowers a remotely operated vehicle that carried an underwater video camera. Photo: Jane Lubchenco twice as long as in any previous year. The hypoxic water of the dead zone spread across the continental shelf to within one kilometer of the shore. Oxygen levels as low as 0.05 milliliters per liter persisted off Cape Perpetua for weeks and are the lowest values ever observed on the Oregon continental shelf. Using a remotely operated vehicle, researchers uncovered evidence of hypoxia’s effects on habitats. Reefs that are typically home to many species of rockfish were devoid of living fish; carcasses of invertebrates that play important roles in the food web littered the seafloor. PISCO’s research shows that formation and duration of this low-oxygen zone varies with the wind and ocean conditions along the coast, which are influ- enced by larger, atmospheric changes over the Pacific Ocean. This connection underscores the value of long-term and large-scale studies in providing insights into the dynamics and resilience of coastal ecosystems. Dead crabs and worms lie on the seafloor near Cape Perpetua in a still image taken from an underwater video PISCO/OSU researchers are Jack Barth, Francis Chan, Anthony Kirincich, and recorded on August 21, 2006. Photo: Oregon Department of Jane Lubchenco. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is a collabora- Fish and Wildlife tive partner. Funding was provided by the Robert and Betty Lundeen Marine Biology Fund and PISCO. 9 Poleward Flows Powered by strong winds, the cold carry drifting young mussels, barnacles, poleward flows, the influence on disper- California Current dominates the west and fish to new places along the coast. sal of young invertebrates and fish, and coast, flowing southward. Yet ribbons of the effects of the sudden temperature PISCO and several partner organizations warm water occasionally move north- changes on bottom-dwelling animals. operate a network of oceanographic ward around Point Conception, hugging moorings around Point Conception to Researchers are Libe Washburn, Carol the coast. Ecologists and oceanographers keep track of ocean currents and water Blanchette, Cynthia Cudaback, Brian Emery, at PISCO/UCSB are investigating the temperatures. Simultaneously, PISCO and Christopher Melton (PISCO/UCSB). ecological significance of these poleward monitors how many young invertebrates Funding is from Minerals Management flow episodes, which suddenly raise and fish settle along the coast. Scientists Service, PISCO, and Santa Barbara Channel water temperature by 5-10°C and may Long-Term Ecological Research Site (NSF). use these data to assess the frequency of

A. June 5, 2001 B. June 9, 2001 C. June 11, 2001 35ºN

34.5ºN Point Conception Point Conception Point Conception Latitude

34ºN

33.5ºN 121ºW 120ºW 121ºW 120ºW 121ºW 120ºW Longitude Longitude Longitude Water temperature on the sea’s surface showing before, during, and after an episode when warm water flowed Water temperature (ºC) northward around Point Conception. Black arrow (middle map) indicates the poleward flow. White areas indicate 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 clouds that prevented measurements of water temperature. Data courtesy of ICESS/UCSB, NASA, ORBIMAGE

PISCO Coastal Connections • Volume 6 Musseling Out the Native Mussel

Native (Mytilus trossulus)

1 cm

Invasive (Mytilus galloprovincialis)

1 cm

Pie graphs indicate the proportion of native and invasive blue mussels at sites along the west coast. South of Monterey Bay, the invader, Mytilus galloprovincialis (red), has replaced the native, M. trossulus (blue). In some places the two species form hybrids (yellow). Data were compiled by PISCO/UCSC scientist Pete Raimondi from published literature.

Data sources: Braby (2006) Doctoral dissertation, Stanford University • Braby and Somero (2006) Marine Biology 148: 1249-1262 • Brooks (1991) Doctoral disserta- tion, University of Washington • Rawson et al. (1999) Marine Biology 134: 201–211 • Heath et al. (1995) Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 52: 2621–2627 • McDonald and Siebenaller (1989) Evolution 43: 228–231. ecological linkages Climate Change and Invasive Species

major problem facing coastal ecosystems is invasion by species brought to new places by shipping and other human activities. Invasive species The native blue mussel (Mytilus trossulus). A Photo: Sheri Etchemendy can inflict serious ecological harm. PISCO/Stanford scientists have discovered that climate change may help an invasive blue mussel in California to spread north into Oregon, replacing the Overview: Ecological Linkages native blue mussel. The scientists found that the invader’s heart functions As described in the two previous sec- better in warm water than the native mussel’s does. tions, PISCO’s monitoring is revealing The blue mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis is native to the Mediterranean Sea but ecological patterns and oceanographic gained a foothold in California in the twentieth century. It has replaced the characteristics along the U.S. west native blue mussel, M. trossulus, as far north as Monterey and San Francisco coast. For resource management, Bay. From there to Cape Mendocino, the coast is inhabited by native-invasive conservation, and basic science, how- hybrids, and farther north the native blue mussel dominates. ever, it is essential to understand not only the patterns but the underlying Although the two species look very similar, PISCO/Stanford experiments reveal processes that cause the patterns. critical differences in physiology and biochemistry. Even at warm temperatures that cause heart failure in the native species, the invading mussel’s heart still By joining forces to study the same functions (see figure below). Complementary studies of cell function show that animals and plants with a unified ap- metabolic enzymes may be responsible for the difference in heart function. proach, PISCO scientists are doing just The PISCO/Stanford research indicates that the invasive mussel is better that. We conduct experiments using 11 adapted physiologically to warm water, which enables it to dominate sections specialized techniques in microchem- of the west coast. It is less successful than the native mussel in colder, northern istry, genetics, biomechanics, nutrient waters. These findings suggest the invader could spread farther north as the analysis, and oceanographic modeling. ocean grows warmer due to climate change. Rarely have scientists from so many different disciplines worked together. Related studies by PISCO/UCSC and collaborators showed that predatory snails in Oregon and central California prefer eating the native mussel, rather than The crux of problems in research and the invader. This difference in predation may facilitate the spread of the invad- management is to understand why ing mussel. Ecological interactions, physiological traits, and climate change animals and plants live where they do interact to determine the long-term success of the two blue mussel species. along the coast and why their popula- tions change over time. Articles in Researchers are George Somero and Caren Braby (PISCO/Stanford); Pete this section illustrate PISCO’s use of Raimondi (PISCO/UCSC); and Peter Fields (sabbatical fellow from Franklin and physiology and genetics to reveal the Marshall College). Caren Braby is now a postdoctoral fellow at the Monterey ecological linkages causing patterns Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Funding was provided by PISCO and the of change along the west coast. National Science Foundation (for sabbatical salary support to Peter Fields)

Heart rates of native and invasive mussels at different Publications: water temperatures. Blue line: The heart rate of the native mussel falls sharply at approximately 22ºC. Red line: The Following the heart: temperature and salinity invasive mussel’s heart rate rises with temperatures up effects on heart rate in native and invasive species to 27ºC and then falls sharply. Thus, the invader tolerates of blue mussels (genus Mytilus). 2006. Journal of higher temperatures than the native mussel. Experimental Biology 209:2554–2566. Ecological gradients and relative abundance of native (Mytilus trossulus) and invasive (Mytilus gal- loprovincialis) blue mussels in the California hybrid zone. 2006. Marine Biology 148:1249–1262. Temperature sensitivities of cytosolic malate dehydrogenases from native and invasive species of marine mussels (genus Mytilus). 2006. Journal of Experimental Biology 209:656–667.

PISCO Coastal Connections • Volume 6 Could Young Urchins Survive in a Warmer Ocean? For the first time, scientists have used genomics-enabled techniques such as DNA macroarrays and microarrays, or gene chips, to evaluate the physiologi- cal condition of invertebrate larvae in the ocean. Previously gene chips have been used to investigate how adult marine invertebrates and fish respond to stressors (see story, page 13). But the technology is now being applied to the youngest life stages, or larvae, which are vulnerable to many unpredictable variables in the ocean. Combined with other physiological and ecological studies, this research provides key insights into the potential ecological impacts of climate change. PISCO/UCSB scientists Gretchen Hofmann and Kevin Fielman are using the technology to determine the effects of environmental stressors, such as a warming climate, on the young of two species of sea urchins: purple and green. Purple urchins are distributed widely from British Columbia to Baja California, while green urchins live from British Columbia northward into Sea urchin young (larvae) provide an ecological model for the Arctic. With the arrays, the scientists measured indicators—called precur- investigating effects of warming ocean waters. sors—of the production of cell function proteins in young urchins as they were Photo: Leopoldo Diaz exposed to warm water in the laboratory. Purple urchins responded by increasing their metabolic rate and producing more precursors for cell function proteins. This result suggests that young purple urchins can adjust to warmer conditions and continue to grow. In contrast, young green urchins lowered their metabolic rate and cut back on the protein precursors when water temperature rose, indicating that they were stressed and unable to grow. Additional research shows that young purple urchins cannot adjust completely. PISCO/UCSB graduate student LaTisha Hammond has discovered that, no matter where along the coast from Oregon to Mexico those young purple 12 urchins were born, they suffered severe physiological stress at a critical threshold of 31ºC. This finding is surprising because urchins of other species vary in their responses to warming water, depending if their home had cold or warm water. Hammond’s results indicate that young purple sea urchins throughout their entire geographic range will be affected in similar ways by a warming climate. Publication: Genome-enabled insight into comparative marine larval thermotolerance (in prep).

LaTisha Hammond prepares a sample for analysis. Photo: Monica Pessino

Magnitude of changes in production of five cell function proteins (A-E) in young green and purple sea urchins, as the young were warmed from 10°C to 20°C (green urchins) or 15°C to 25°C (purple urchins). Production is based on measurement of precursors to protein synthesis. For example, for protein B, purple sea urchins’ production of this precursor more than doubled (2X), and the green urchins’ production decreased by twofold (-2X).

Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans ecological linkages ecological

Mussels and Chips PISCO/Stanford and PISCO/UCSB scientists have created a tool that moni- tors gene expression in ribbed mussels. The tool, called a gene chip, allows assessment of the physiological stress suffered by the mussels under different environmental conditions. PISCO is using the gene chip to determine how climate change could affect survival of sea life and to better understand how physiological traits help to govern species’ distribution along the coast. In concert with PISCO’s program of ecological and oceanographic monitoring, research with the gene chip has already produced intriguing findings. • Genes associated with cell growth in mussels living on rocky shores reached peak activity every 18 hours. Mussels exposed for long periods at low tide had the biggest peaks in activity. PISCO researchers use gene chips (above) to investigate • Genes encoding proteins that enable mussels to repair heat damage in the physiological responses of marine animals to environ- mental stresses. Photo: Andrew Gracey their bodies became active when body temperature reached 32°C, a temperature often attained on hot days during low tide. By 36.5°C, genes were activated to clear cells of irreversibly damaged proteins. • Mussels collected at San Diego and Monterey differed in their gene expres- sion, indicating that they have different responses to environmental stress. • Tests show that the gene chip for ribbed mussels can be used for two spe- cies of blue mussels. Tests are underway with snails and other mollusks. The gene chip is a powerful tool on its own, but it shows special promise when combined with PISCO’s programs for tracking oceanographic conditions and ecological responses from Oregon to southern California. Researchers are George Somero and Andrew Gracey (PISCO/Stanford) and Gretchen Hofmann (PISCO/UCSB). Andrew Gracey is now an assistant profes- sor at the University of Southern California. Support for this work comes from PISCO core funding and the National Science Foundation. 13

Hot Limpets Accurate new models of limpet body temperature can help predict future effects of climate change. For example, how would a 4°C rise in air tempera- ture affect the body temperature and survival of limpets and other important intertidal species? Limpets and other creatures living on rocky shorelines—submerged at high tide, exposed at low tide—are affected by environmental conditions of both land and sea. PISCO is studying these intertidal species to understand ecologi- cal impacts of warmer temperatures and to predict consequences of climate change for coastal ecosystems. With support from the National Science Foundation, PISCO/Stanford research- ers created a model of processes that dictate the body temperature of limpets (see figure, left). Based on easily measured environmental parameters such as This diagram shows the heat transfer to and from the limpet Lottia gigantea, a common intertidal limpet of the air temperature and wind speed, the model predicts the daily body tempera- California coast. Photo: Luke Miller ture of limpets living in their natural setting. This model can be adjusted to pre- dict body temperatures of barnacles, chitons, and other rocky-shore residents. Publications: Predictions of body temperatures, coupled with information on physiological Hot limpets: predicting body temperature in a effects and survival, can be used to forecast ecological consequences of cli- conductance-mediated thermal system. 2006. mate change and other environmental scenarios. Journal of Experimental Biology 209: 2409–2419. Thermal stress on intertidal limpets: long-term PISCO/Stanford researchers are Mark Denny, Christopher Harley, and Luke hindcasts and lethal limits. 2006. Journal of Miller. Christopher Harley is now an assistant professor at the University of Experimental Biology 209: 2420–2431. British Columbia.

PISCO Coastal Connections • Volume 6 Training a New Generation

ISCO provides innovative training for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students. By developing knowledge, skills, and confidence, the students learn P to conduct high-quality, interdisciplinary science. Our philosophy is that students should receive highly personal attention; have ample opportunity to explore, discover, share and flourish; excel in a discipline and master interdisciplinary perspectives and tools; have the opportunity to work with scientists at all four PISCO campuses; and form the core of a new generation of interdisciplinary marine scientists. PISCO provides three intensive graduate-level courses that immerse students in interdisciplinary science and ocean policy. • Ecological Physiology and Genetics • The Science-Policy Interface for Marine Conservation • Physical Oceanography and Marine Ecosystems Through a mix of classroom, field, and lab experiences, students learn the latest concepts and approaches from leading experts in interdisciplinary marine research. For information about 2007-2009 courses, visit www.piscoweb.org/courses. interdisciplinary training& research interdisciplinary training & research interdisciplinary

Linking genetics, ecology, and oceanography

In PISCO/Stanford principal investigator Steve Palumbi’s laboratory, the focus is on interdisciplinary research that combines genetics, ecology, and oceanography to provide information for ecosystem-based management.

Doctoral student Heather Galindo is coupling a population genetics simulation model with oceanographic circulation models to predict the dispersal and genetic mixing of young marine invertebrates. She also con- ducts genetic analysis of acorn barnacles along the west coast to find the likely birthplaces of individual barnacles settling in Monterey Bay. Galindo’s findings will be useful for planning networks of marine protected areas (MPAs). In ad- dition to her research, Galindo has gained firsthand experience with ocean policy through her involvement with the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Sci- ence Advisory Team, and she works as a visiting scientist in the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Science Under Sail program.

Postdoctoral fellow Arjun Sivasundar is examining the genetics of rockfish along the California and Oregon coasts to help manag- ers determine the best way to regulate recreational and commercial fisheries. Although the rockfish catch in California in 2004 was valued at more than two million dollars, the stocks are declining. Currently, the fisheries management regulations treat some fifty rockfish species as a single group, despite their biological differences. Sivasundar’s research is intended to reveal the migratory patterns of these species based on DNA samples from rockfish caught by sport fishing boats. The findings will provide managers with a solid basis for dividing the 50 species into management groups to aid recovery of the stocks.

PISCO/Stanford doctoral student Heather Galindo (top) and postdoctoral fellow Arjun Sivasundar (above). Photos: Arjun Sivasundar (top), Heather Galindo (above) Effects of Rivers on Kelp Forests 15

Along the Big Sur coast in California, PISCO/UCSC doctoral student Melissa Foley is investigating how rivers—which inject nutrients and food into coastal waters—affect the health and growth of kelp forests. These underwater forests are home to rockfish, sea urchins, and other ecologically and economically important marine species. Foley collects water samples and kelp tissues at varying distances from river mouths to determine the amounts of nutrients, trace elements and organic matter in coastal waters. By compar- ing kelp forests, she looks for influences of the rivers on kelp growth, survival, and population replenishment, as well as the abundance and diversity of seaweeds and invertebrates. Analyzing stable isotopes in the tissues of kelp forest species enables Foley to quantify how much nitrogen and carbon came PISCO/UCSC student Melissa Foley. Photo: Kate Schoenrock from rivers versus the ocean. Her research is revealing ecological connections between the land and sea. Opposite page photos, left to right: Steve Lonhart/MBNMS, Katherine Schwager, Robert Schwemmer New Interdisciplinary Course

This was a phenomenal course, PISCO’s new “Physical Oceanography and Marine Ecosystems” graduate course “especially considering this was was held at the University of California at Santa Cruz’s Long Marine Laboratory in summer 2006. PISCO scientists Margaret McManus, Jack Barth, Libe Washburn, and the first time it’s been taught. Brock Woodson co-taught the course. Graduate student Anthony Kirincich also I especially liked the practical co-instructed and provided logistical support. Students hailed from the four PISCO experience in oceanographic campuses, University of Hawaii, University of Washington, and universities in Mexico fieldwork and data analysis. and Portugal. Intensive lectures, lab sessions, and fieldwork taught students about the influence of physical oceanography on ecological processes in coastal waters. Student testimonial, 2006”

PISCO Coastal Connections • Volume 6 Communications Training for Scientists

n April 2006, 25 PISCO researchers converged on Monterey, California, for a special two-day workshop on communicating science to non-scientific audiences. The workshop is one of the many steps I that PISCO is taking to improve scientists’ skills for conveying research findings about coastal ecosystems to policy makers, media, and the public. The event, coordinated by SeaWeb/COMPASS, featured presentations by four journalists and role-playing activities. PISCO principal investigators, postdoctoral scientists, coordinators, and graduate students learned to present complicated information in clear, engaging ways using examples from their own research and from PISCO’s collaborative research. “Not only was the workshop fun, but I found it intellectually stimulating to think about how to generate and communicate messages about what we do,” said PISCO/OSU scientist Francis Chan. He used techniques from the workshop the next day for an interview with a magazine writer. “Most importantly,” he said, “my stress and anxiety levels didn’t spike the least bit.” For more information about PISCO’s policy and outreach program, visit www.piscoweb.org/outreach.

sharing THE science sharing the science the sharing

PISCO in the News The PBS television program Jean-Michel Cousteau: Ocean Adventures featured PISCO/UCSB scientists in an episode about national marine sanctuaries. For information, visit www.pbs.org/ oceanadventures. Oregon Public Broadcasting Radio inter- viewed PISCO scientists for two episodes of Oregon Territory: Protected Areas Established • “Tidepooling with Jane Lubchenco” Along the California Coast www.opb.org/programs/ oregonterritory/episodes/2006/0721 In August 2006, California established a network of 29 marine protect- ed areas along its central coast in compliance with the state’s Marine Life Pro- • “Science Communication” with Steve tection Act. During the multi-year process to plan and implement the marine Palumbi, Bob Warner, and Gretchen protected areas (MPAs), PISCO helped provide scientific information. Hofmann www.opb.org/programs/ oregonterritory/episodes/2006/0728 PISCO scientists Mark Carr, Steve Gaines, and Steve Palumbi participated in a Media from around the world have team of more than 15 scientific advisors to policy makers and the California reported on the unusual dead zone of Department of Fish and Game. Over two years, this diverse group of scientists low-oxygen seawater along Oregon’s held thirty meetings to develop scientific guidelines for design of the MPAs coast. PISCO/OSU studies the causes and based on biological and physical characteristics of the region, scientific litera- impacts of the dead zone and provides ture, and the goals of the Marine Life Protection Act. scientific information to the media. For Stakeholders used the scientific guidelines to develop proposed plans for the an overview, visit www.piscoweb.org/ number, size, and locations of MPAs. The Science Advisory Team evaluated the research/oceanography/hypoxia. proposals, and the stakeholders revised them in an iterative process. The three final proposals considered by the California Fish and Game Commission all met Lynne Rossetto Kasper, host of The or surpassed the minimum scientific guidelines for the spacing of high-protec- Splendid Table radio program produced tion MPAs. The proposals differed significantly, however, in how closely they by American Public Media, interviewed 17 complied with guidelines for MPA sizes. PISCO/Stanford scientist Steve Palumbi and learned how to cook up a DNA In addition to the guidelines and reviews, PISCO researchers and policy coordi- sample. For behind-the-scenes footage, visit nators participated in other parts of the process. www.ggfilms.com/screenings/room7. • Mark Carr presented lectures to policy makers and stakeholders on ocean ecosystems and larval dispersal and served on a science subcom- mittee that was engaged in regional stakeholder meetings. • Steve Gaines presented lectures on the ecological foundation for MPA networks. • Satie Airamé and Cinamon Vann helped scientists prepare information and presentations. • Will McClintock led the development of a Web-based geodatabase and interactive map. • Satie Airamé supervised graduate students at the Bren School of Envi- ronmental Science and Management who analyzed ecological and socioeconomic impacts of the proposed MPAs. The result is that eight percent of state waters between Point Conception and Pigeon Point was designated as fully protected marine reserves. Within the reserves, some habitats—kelp forests, intertidal zones, seagrass, estuaries, and shallow rocky reefs—received more protection than others. An additional ten percent of state waters along the central coast of California was protected in conservation areas that allow limited commercial and recreational fishing. Establishment of marine protected areas will continue along other parts of PISCO provided scientific information for establishing MPAs along the central coast of California. the California coast with a target date for completion of 2011. For more Photo: Jared Figurski information, visit www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/mlpa.

Top right photo: Steve Lonhart/MBNMS Opposite page photos: Chad King/MBNMS (left), Jen Ahn (right)

PISCO Coastal Connections • Volume 6 Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO)

For more information: Web site: www.piscoweb.org E-mail: [email protected]

PISCO Oregon State University Department of Zoology 3029 Cordley Hall Corvallis, OR 97331

PISCO University of California, Santa Cruz Long Marine Laboratory 100 Shaffer Road Santa Cruz, CA 95060

PISCO University of California, Santa Barbara Marine Science Institute Santa Barbara, CA 93106-6150

PISCO Stanford University Hopkins Marine Station Oceanview Boulevard Pacific Grove, CA 93950

Photos, top to bottom and left to right: Josh Pederson/MBNMS, Ben Waltenberger, Monica Pessino, Chad King/MBNMS, Monica Pessino, Maya George, Steve Lonhart/MBNMS, Wyatt Patry, Jane Lubchenco, Gil Rilov, Luke Miller, Gerardo Amador, Michael Sheehy, Robert Schwemmer/NOAA

Paper stock contains 50% recycled content, 15% post‑consumer content. Printed with linseed oil‑based inks.